Filter



FILTER INVENTOR Fra/1k H Mesurez/c ATTORNEY.

20 to provide an indestructible construction for use bodying the present invention vin elevation. 20 as specified and one which will properly filter Figure 2 is aplan view of oneof the plates impurities from the water and, when dirty, may removed. be easily cleansed for re-use. Figure 3-.is a greatly enlarged fragmental plan Patented Jan. Y5A, 1937 o UNITED vSTATES PATENT ,()FFICEA 1 e Y 2,066,793 1 Y FILTER Frank Mesurac, Woodhaven, N. Y. f i Application December 5, 1935, serial N o. 52,939

zciaims. (o1. 21o- 169) This invention is directed more especially,V to a ,inspacedapart relation, so as to successively inwater lter constructionI for use in the hot wells tercept the flow of water, each plate will remove of marine boiler roominstallations, although the a part ofthe impurities, so thatthe filter will filtering element forming part of this invention deliversubstantially clear water.l Thisis particu- 5 may be used as a filter in any other connection. larly so if the plates are so positioned that the 5 The hot wells of marine boiler installations Water successively passes.` through plates of proare connected to receive water from the congressively smaller openings and this is the predensers, so that the steam coming from the boilferred form of the invention. f ers is condensed and then passed through the hot Features of the invention, other than those l0 well to be returned to the boiler as boiler feed adverted to, will be apparent from the herein- 10 water. It is found in practice that this feed water after detailed description and claims, when read is apt to contain grease, boiler cake, lint, rust, asV in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. well as other impurities which should be removed 'I'he accompanying drawing illustrates one before the water is fed back into the boilers. practical embodiment of the invention, but the It has heretofore been the practice to use construction therein shown is to be understood 15 Sponges as a filtering medium in this connection, as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits Y the sponges being discarded when dirty and new of ther invention. Sponges introduced into their place. Figure 1 is a central section through a hot well The object of the present invention is primarily showing therein a plurality of filter plates em- When the present invention is utilized in con- View of the structure shown in Figure 2.

25 nection with hot wells, it consists in a plurality Figure 4 is a section on the broken line 4-4 of 25 of spaced apart metal plates, each of which is Figure 3. perforated throughout by openings punched in a In Figure 1, I have ShOWIl in a more 0I' leSS Condireotion contra to the ow and in such manner ventional manner a lter casing I which may-in as to provide protuberances which extend in such DlaCtCB be 0f any aDDlOplte Shape and Size.

counter direction. The plates are preferably ar- Through this casing liquid iS adapted t0 flOW in 30 ranged in series of successively smaller openings theY direction indicated by the arrows and within in the direction of the ow, so as to successively the Casing and forming a Substantially C1056 t filter out impurities of progressively smaller sizes, with the sidewalls thereof are a plurality of as well as to permit of removal of oil and grease. superimposed SpaCed apart filter plates 2. I

The filter plates individually constitute an imhave shown two groups 3 and 4 of these plates 35 portant part of this invention because these plates positioned side by side in the lter casing I of a embody numerous features of novelty, adapting hot Well through which the ow of liquid is such them to eiciently 'carry out the filtering function that the liquid passes through the plates of both One very important feature resides in the fact gI'OllpS. Any number 0f gIOllDS 0f Plates may be 4,0 that the perforations are formed in such manner employed in the relation shown and any number 40 that each perforation or opening is'i'n the' apex of plates may be incorporated in each group deof a protuberance. In other words, the material pending on conditions. The plates of each group of the plate is pressed upto form a protuberance are preferably provided with perforations which and the apex of the protuberance is broken out are progressively smaller in the direction'of the to leave .points and edges which are spaced from liquid flow, so as to progressively filter out coarse 45 the pl-ane of the plate, so as to leave between and finer extraneous material from the water adjacent protuberances and perforatons valleys passing therethrough. If desired each group may for the accumulation' of grease and other impurembody a succession of plates of graduated openities. In other words, the actual openings in the ings with superimposed groups of further graduplate are formed in protuberances above the plane ated openings of appropriate sizes to fulll re- 50 of the plate and do not extend to the base of the quirements of particular conditions. In any valleys, so that there is left between these proevent, the plates are spaced apart by legs or vtuberances valleys or channels for the accumuspacers 5 of any appropriate kind.

lation'of impurities. Aside from the size of the openings in the re- When a plurality of these plates are positioned spective plates, they are all of the same construc- 55 tion. They are preferably made from sheet metal of a character to resist Vcorrosion or damage by the liquid to be filtered, although they may be made from corrosive metal and plated or galvanized with a corrosive resistant material. Each plate is formed with fairly closely spaced apart openings formed in a novel and unusual manner. In the ordinary processes of perforating sheet metal, it is the practice to place the sheet stock beneath a die -andpunch a clean hole through the metal leaving at the upper and lower edges of the metal substantially flush planes with which the punched holes intersect. In carrying out the present invention, however, a different practice is followed. 'Ihe tool or other die which makes the hole is caused rst to press up the metal, in the zone of the hole to be formed, into a protuberance and, after the protuberance has been produced, then the metal is fractured and broken open at the apex of the protuberance. This produces a construction, such as shown in Figures 3 and 4, wherein a number of these holes are shown on a greatly enlarged scale. The tool used to make the openings shown is of 'triangular form.

f As it is pressed against the botto-m of the plate v2,

it forms the protuberance 6 before the metal gives way to let the tool through and consequently there is a well defined protuberance in the apex of which the hole 'l is formed with a serrated or saw-toothed edge, which is fairly sharp and -of a character to catch lint and other stringy materials, such as particles which might break away from valve packings, gaskets and the like. It is to be noted, moreover, that the openings 1 have relatively acute angular corners 8 which are spaced appreciably above the plane of the -upper surface of the plate as shown in Figure 4. Here, for concrete illustration, P designates the upper plane of the plate 2, whereas P designates the plane in which substantially all of the angles 8 are located. There will of course be some little variation in these various corner angles 8, but they will invariably be spaced above the plane P, so as to leave between adjacent openings l relatively deep valleys indicated in Figure 4 bythe reference character 9, and in these valleys, sludge, oil, rust and other impurities are free to lodge and collect without clogging the filter.

The plates are made of a contour and size to t closely within the walls of the casing I, so that water cannot freely circulate around their edges, but must necessarily pass through the perforations. Consequently, the impurities which collect in the valleys will remain there until the amount ybecomes excessive when the filter should be cleaned. This may be accomplished by removing the plates and subjecting them to the scouring and cleaning action of live steam. The cleaning operation may be expeditiously carried on and the plates immediately replaced for further use. They are practically indestructible and may be used throughout long periods.

I 'have described the plates as made -from sheet metal and punched. I find this method Aof making them results in a lter plate of high eiiiciency. It is possible, however, that similar results might le obtained by casting the plates with projections or protuberances with perforations in the apices thereof. The serrated edges of the openings 'l seem to work best when they are rough or jagged for then they tend to more efciently catch and hold extraneous matter coming in contact therewith.

It will of course be understood that the plates of this invention may be made of any size and shape, that they may be spaced apart as desired and used in any numbers depending upon the particular work'which they are desired to perform. They should, however, be so placed in each instance that the apertured protuberances should extend in the direction contra to the ow of liquid to be passed therethrough, so as to obtain the maximum filtering effect. When thus employed, experience has shown that they will filter efficiently and deliver water free from objectionable impurities. Furthermore the lter of this invention is non-clogging in its operation and it will in Apractice collect and retain a very considerable amount of impurities without passing them or clogging. rIhe valleyed arrangement effectually produces this result and provides adequate space for impurities in positions wherein they Will lnot cause cloggingV of the lter.

In the accompanying drawing, the plates are shown as flat, yet they may be made curvilinear or otherwise without departing from this invention. Y

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms, but the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

' Having thus fully described the invention, what I desire `to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an assembly of the character described, a lter housing, a liquid inlet and outlet thereof, a plurality of spaced apart filter plates within the housing to intercept the flow of liquid therethrough, each of which is provided with adjacent closely spaced apart protuberances projecting in the direction contra to the ow of liquid through the housing, the apex of each protuberance being provided with an opening having a jagged, sharp and uneven edge adapted to catch lint and other stringy materials and all parts of which edge are spaced from the corresponding face of the plate to provide between said openings valleys for the accumulation of extraneous material.

2. In an assembly of the character described, a'filter housing, a liquid inlet and outlet therefor, a plurality of spaced groups of filter plates within the housing and between the inlet and outlet thereof, each group comprising a plurality of spaced apart plates, each of which is provided with adjacent closely spaced apart protuberances projecting in the direction contra to the flow of liquid through the housing, the apex of each protuberance being provided with an opening havingr a jagged, sharp and uneven edge adapted to catch lint and other stringy materials and all parts of which edge are spaced from the corresponding face of the plate to provide between said openings valleys for the accumulation of extraneous material..

. FRANK MESURAC. 

